Forgotten passwords are a common frustration for many iPhone users. After enough failed passcode attempts, your iPhone will become disabled, preventing you from accessing your apps and data. When you’ve forgotten your passcode, your natural instinct may be to keep guessing until you finally get it right. However, there are limits on passcode guesses that you need to be aware of. If you go over the limit, your iPhone will get locked or even wiped. Understanding how many passcode attempts are allowed and your options for recovering your passcode will help you get back into your iPhone successfully.
Password Guessing Limits
There is a limit on the number of times an incorrect password can be entered on an iPhone before it will lock out further attempts. According to Apple Support, the iPhone allows up to 5 incorrect passcode entries before enforcing a time delay. On the 6th failed attempt, it will disable touch input for 5 minutes. After the 7th failed attempt, it will disable touch input for 15 minutes. Finally, after the 10th failed passcode entry, the iPhone will disable touch input for 1 hour before another attempt can be made. This incremental lockout period is designed to prevent brute force guessing attacks (Discussions, 2022).
So in summary, you can make 5 incorrect password attempts before a 5 minute lockout, 10 attempts before a 15 minute lockout, and 11 attempts before a 1 hour lockout is enforced on the iPhone (iMyFone, 2022). The limits are in place as a security measure to prevent unauthorized access.
Discussions. (2022, March 27). How many attempts to unlock iPhone. Apple Discussions. Retrieved from https://discussions.apple.com/thread/253776895
iMyFone. (2022). How many attempts to unlock iPhone? iMyFone. Retrieved from https://www.imyfone.com/unlock-iphone/how-many-attempts-to-unlock-iphone/
Lockout Time
After entering an incorrect passcode on the iPhone, there are escalating lockout times after consecutive failed password attempts. According to Apple Support Community, the seventh incorrect passcode attempt will lock you out for 5 minutes, the eighth attempt for 15 minutes, and the tenth attempt for an hour.
As outlined by EaseUS, after 8 wrong password attempts, you will be asked to wait 15 minutes before trying again. After 9 failed attempts, the wait time increases to 60 minutes before another attempt can be made. The lockout time continues to escalate after each wrong guess to deter brute force password cracking.
The increasing lockout intervals are an important security measure to prevent unauthorized access. While inconvenient if you forget your own password, it protects your sensitive personal data from being compromised by repeated guessing.
Reset Options
If you’ve forgotten your iPhone password, there are a couple options to reset it or erase the device entirely. The easiest way is to reset your password through your Apple ID account. You can go to iforgot.apple.com and follow the steps to reset your Apple ID password. Once changed, your new password will unlock your iPhone.
If you’ve forgotten your Apple ID or no longer have access to it, you’ll need to completely erase your iPhone. This factory resets the device and removes your Apple ID from it. Be aware this will delete all data and settings on the iPhone. To erase the iPhone, go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset and select “Erase All Content and Settings.” You’ll be asked to enter your passcode if you still remember it. If not, you’ll need to connect your iPhone to a computer and erase it through iTunes.
As a last resort, you can contact Apple Support to verify your identity and request they remove the Apple ID from the locked iPhone. Providing proof of purchase and other details, they can factory reset the device so you can set it up again from scratch.
Password Manager Apps
Using a dedicated password manager app is one of the best ways to avoid forgetting your iPhone password. These apps can generate strong randomized passwords for each account, remember them for you, and even auto-fill login forms. Some of the most popular and highly rated iOS password managers are:
- NordPass: Generates strong passwords, auto-fills information, allows sharing between devices, and provides a digital vault for storing private data.
- 1Password: Offers robust features like Password Sharing and Password Health to help manage and strengthen passwords.
- Keeper: Provides secure password storage and syncing, auto logins, credit card and identity info storage, and biometrics.
Using an iOS password manager eliminates the need to memorize complex passwords or reuse old ones. They allow strong unique passwords for every account while remembering them securely. This greatly reduces the chances of forgetting a password and getting locked out of your iPhone.
Strong Passwords
Creating a strong, secure password that’s hard to forget takes some thought. Here are some tips for iPhone users:
Use at least 8 characters. The longer the password, the harder it is to crack. Mix upper and lower case letters, numbers, and symbols for maximum strength.
Avoid common words, names, or dates. Hackers can easily guess these.
Try using a memorable phrase. Turn it into a password by using the first letter of each word along with numbers or symbols to replace some letters. For example, “My first dog Samson was a golden retriever!” becomes Mf1dSwagr!.
Let your iPhone suggest strong passwords when creating new accounts. Go to Settings > Passwords and turn on Suggest Strong Passwords.
Use a password manager app like 1Password to generate and store secure passwords. The app can remind you of passwords when needed.
Avoid reusing the same passwords across multiple accounts. If one account is compromised, others are as well.
Periodically change important passwords, even if not required. This limits exposure if an account is ever compromised.
Consider enabling two-factor authentication which adds an extra layer of security beyond just a password.
Biometric Options
Apple offers biometric login options like Face ID and Touch ID to provide quick and secure access to your iPhone. These allow you to unlock your iPhone or authenticate app logins using your face or fingerprint instead of typing in your passcode. According to Apple’s support documentation, Face ID and Touch ID do not replace your passcode or password, but rather provide easy access within thoughtful boundaries (source).
Face ID uses advanced technologies to map the geometry of your face and create a mathematical representation stored securely on your device. Each time you unlock, it confirms your identity by matching this data. Face ID only unlocks your iPhone when you are actively looking at it and aware that it is unlocking. Touch ID uses your fingerprint to unlock your iPhone or make purchases. Your fingerprint data is stored in a secure enclave on the device.
Both Face ID and Touch ID provide robust security for everyday use. Some analyses suggest Face ID may be more convenient, while Touch ID has a case for security in certain threat models (source). For optimal security, using a longer passcode along with Face ID or Touch ID provides layered protection.
Two-Factor Authentication
Two-factor authentication (2FA) provides an additional layer of security beyond just using a password when logging into an iPhone. With 2FA enabled, users will need to provide two forms of identification to access their account – typically a password plus a one-time passcode generated by an authenticator app like Google Authenticator or sent via SMS to verify their identity.
According to Apple’s support article Use two-factor authentication for your Apple ID on iPhone, enabling 2FA makes it much harder for hackers to gain access to an account, even if they manage to learn the password. This is because they would also require physical possession of the trusted device in order to receive the secondary one-time passcode.
Overall, 2FA significantly improves login security for Apple IDs by requiring two forms of identity verification. Users worried about unauthorized access to their account should strongly consider enabling this feature.
Third Party Tools
There are some third party tools that claim to be able to crack or brute force an iPhone passcode. One example is the IP-Box tool, which can supposedly crack a 4-digit iPhone passcode in a matter of hours. According to this article, the IP-Box tool works by running through all 10,000 possible 4-digit passcode combinations until it finds the right one.
Another similar tool is the iPhone Passcode Cracker from LogMeOnce. As described on their website, this tool is designed to quickly crack iPhone passcodes by brute forcing all possible combinations. They claim it can hack into an iPhone easily and save time compared to manually guessing passwords.
However, it’s important to note that the latest iPhones have additional security protections like longer 6-digit passcodes and limits on guessing attempts that make these brute forcing tools less effective. Using a strong alphanumeric passcode, biometrics like Face ID, and two-factor authentication can help prevent unauthorized access even if such cracking tools are used.
Conclusion
In summary, if you forget your iPhone password, you only have a limited number of guesses before your device locks you out. The exact number of guesses depends on whether you have simple or complex passcode enabled. With a simple 4-digit passcode, you get 10 guesses before a 1 minute lockout. For a complex alphanumeric code, it’s only 5 guesses before a 1 hour lockout.
If you can’t remember your passcode after several guesses, your options are to wait out the lockout period or reset your device entirely. Resetting will erase all data, so first try waiting. You may also want to set up a password manager app or authentication methods like Touch ID or Face ID to avoid getting locked out in the future. Just be sure to choose strong, unique passwords and store them safely.
The limitations on password guesses are there for security reasons. While it can be frustrating to get locked out, it protects your sensitive data if your iPhone is lost or stolen. With some preparation and care when setting up your password, you can avoid the hassle of hitting the attempt limit and not being able to access your phone.